5 Ways Technology Has Improved Family Communications

Remember the days when Junior was glued to the TV and dad had his head buried in the newspaper? Times have changed. Your kids are probably texting with their friends or doing their homework on the computer instead of watching old reruns of Gilligan's Island. Your spouse could be reading his paper on a touch tablet or e-reader instead of getting ink all over his fingers.

The communication side of the family equation has gone high tech. When your daughter wants to know what's for dinner, instead of shouting from the top of the stairs, she either Skypes your kitchen computer or texts the smartphone you carry around in your pocket. It's a brave new world, and in some interesting ways, that's good news for family life.